Updated

Hurricane Isaias strengthened into the first hurricane of the 2026 Atlantic season and was forecast to make a dangerous approach to the northern Gulf Coast on Friday, October 9. As of 10pm CDT Thursday, the storm was centered near 25.4N/88.4W with maximum sustained winds of about 105 mph and a minimum central pressure of 969 mb, moving northeast at 14 mph. Storm surge and hurricane warnings were in effect from the mouth of the Mississippi River to Florida, with millions of residents urged to evacuate if ordered, as officials warned of hurricane-force winds, heavy rainfall and flooding; local statements were issued for Atlanta, Tallahassee and the Tampa Bay area. GDACS estimated roughly 602,000 people could be affected by category-1-level winds from the storm. Isaias had rapidly intensified from a tropical depression earlier in the week off eastern Mexico before curving toward the US Gulf Coast, making it the marquee storm threat of the day.